Paterson police conduct three simultaneous raids seizing 3 guns, 1 pound of marijuana, half-pound of cocaine
By Jayed Rahman
Published: August 19, 2017
Detectives conducted three simultaneous raids on Thursday afternoon seizing a pound of marijuana, half-pound of cocaine, and three handguns, according to police director Jerry Speziale.
Speziale said three city residents — Jaime Mercado, 40, of 4th Avenue; Edgardo Silva, 37, of 4th Avenue; and a 16-year-old boy – were arrested on numerous drug charges.
Police seized 8 bags of cocaine weighing half-pound, 1 bag of heroin (2 grams), 3 bags of crack-cocaine weighing 33 grams, 8 bags of marijuana (1 pound), 142 MDMA pills. Three guns — .380 caliber TCP Taurus model PT738, .40 caliber XD Springfield handgun, .22 caliber Ruger single six revolver – were seized in the raids, said the director.
$1,747 in drug money was seized. Mercado had 1,295 in cash and Silva had $452, according to police.
Members of the Narcotics Division, Intelligence Unit, and the Emergency Response Team conducted the raids with the assistance of police canines.
Speziale said the raids resulted from large number of community complaints having to do with drug dealing. “We will continue to dismantle illegal narcotics organizations operation in our city,” he said.